Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is an autoimmune disease with polymorphic expression. B cells have an essential contribution in immune system activation via the production of different cytokines and functioning as potent antigen-presenting cells. Therefore, a drug that particularly targets B cells may represent an ideal therapeutic approach for SLE. Rituximab (RTX), an anti-CD20 monoclonal antibody causing transient B-cell depletion, has been used to manage SLE. This study aims to assess Rituximab effects on lupus nephritis (LN) patients when added to conventional immunosuppressants. Twenty four patients, 15-32 years old, with class III/IV/V LN were involved in this study. All were on steroids before lupus nephritis occurrence. They were given rituximab induction therapy and mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) maintenance therapy. RTX was indicated for refractory and relapsing SLE. Several investigations done before and after RTX treatment and in the last follow up (done one year after starting Rituximab). Those included protein in urine, serum creatinine, double stranded DNA, C3, C4, and Estimated Glomerular Filtration Rate (eGFR). Proteinuria decreased significantly after RTX treatment and in the last measurement (P=0.01 and P=0.001, respectively). Serum creatinine significantly decreased only in the last measurement (P=0.02). Double stranded DNA decreased remarkably after treatment (P=0.01) with a further decrease in the last measurement (P=0.006). C3 and C4 increased after treatment but the increase was significant only for C3 (P=0.002) and this increase continues till the last measurement (P=0.0006). Active urine sediments found in fifteen patients and disappeared after RTX treatment. Rituximab can be promising in treating lupus nephritis when used along with traditional immunosuppressants. It can reduce disease activity and improve renal function in such patients.
Corona virus sickness has become a big public health issue in 2019. Because of its contact-transparent characteristics, it is rapidly spreading. The use of a face mask is among the most efficient methods for preventing the transmission of the Covid-19 virus. Wearing the face mask alone can cut the chance of catching the virus by over 70\%. Consequently, World Health Organization (WHO) advised wearing masks in crowded places as precautionary measures. Because of the incorrect use of facial masks, illnesses have spread rapidly in some locations. To solve this challenge, we needed a reliable mask monitoring system. Numerous government entities are attempting to make wearing a face mask mandatory; this process can be facilitated by using face m
... Show MoreThe organizations, represented by its Management, are working hard in various ways to identify the environmental disturbances that occur in their environment and to investigate and follow up the movement of these disturbances and to respond to them through the decisions they make in an attempt to keep pace with the work and sustainability of their activities, including those decisions, marketing decisions taken by the environmental disturbulence in the market of the organization, the inability of these organizations to read the indicators of these disturbulence correctly displays their marketing effectiveness to vibration and decline in the negative.The current research is based on a fundamental problem that envi
... Show MoreRheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a common inflammatory disease that associated with increased morbidity and mortality due to accelerated atherosclerosis. Rosuvastatin is a unique hydroxy methyl glutaryl Co A (HMGCoA) reductase inhibitor that has anti inflammatory effects.
The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of rosuvastatin as adjuvant therapy to methotrexate (MTX) on lipid profile and its possible cardioprotective effect in RA patients. A double blinded placebo controlled clinical trial with 8 weeks follow up periods at which 40 patients with active RA using MTX were randomized into 2 groups to receive either rosuvastatin 10mg or placebo as adjuvant therapy to MTX. In addition to twenty healthy subjects as control group.
... Show More- coli K12 and B. subtilis 168 were investigated for their cadmium and mercury tolerance abilities. They were developed by UV mutagenesis technique to increase their tolerances either to cadmium or mercury, and their names then were designated depend on the name and concentration of metals. E. coli K12 Cd3R exhibited bioremediation amount of 6.5 mg Cd/g dry biomass cell. At the same time, its wild-type (E. coli K12 Cd3) was able to remove 5.2 mg Cd/g dry biomass cell in treatment of 17 mg Cd /L within 72 hours of incubation at 37 °C (pH=7) in vitro assays. The results show that E.coli K12 Hg 20 was able to remove 0.050 µg Hg/g dry biomass cell
Hydrochloric acid (HCl) is a substance that is frequently utilized in industrial operations for important tasks such as chemical cleaning and pickling metallic surfaces.Therefore, the corrosion inhibition ability of three newly synthesized quinazoline derivatives namely, 3-allyl-2-(propylthio) quinazolin-4(3H)-one) (APQ), (3-allyl-2-(allylthio) quinazolin-4(3H)-one) (AAQ), (3-allyl- 2-( Prop -2-yn -1-ylthio) Quinazolin - 4 (3H) - one) (AYQ) were theoretically determined and these compounds were characterized using Fourier Transform Infra-Red (FTIR) and 1H and 13C Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) spectroscopic. A series of quantum chemical properties of these derivatives: EHOMO, ELUMO, energy gap (ΔE),dipole moment (μ), hardness (η), soft
... Show MoreThis study was conducted during the period 1/9/2014 – 1/2/2015 and aimed to identify the polymorphisms of IGF-1 gene in broiler chickens and their effects on some biochemical traits. A total of 300 one-day-old broiler chicks (Cobb500, n=150; Hubbard F-15, n=150) were evaluated in this study. Blood samples were individually collected from all birds for DNA extraction. PCR-RFLP method being used for determination the genotypes of IGF-1 gene which then correlated with biochemical traits studied. Cobb500 broilers with TT genotype had significantly (p˂0.05) higher serum triglycerides values than those of TC and CC genotypes. Low density lipoprotein (LDL) were significantly (p˂0.05) higher in Hubbard F-15 broilers with TT genotype than those
... Show MoreA study was carried out in the vineyard at Al- sowayra in the Waset Province to study the effect of boron spray on cluster and fruits traits characteristics of grape cultivar . Borax used was as a source of boron at the concentrations (0.0 , 0.1, 0.2, 0.3, 0.4 and 0.5 ) g / l . Water plus Wetting agent (0.05 g/l detergent) was sprayed to induce faom and reduce water surface tension. The spray was implemented twice, first was one week before blooming and the second was after fruit set. Results showed that spray treatment by boron increased. weight and volume of berries and increased cluster's weight bunch length and diameter besides the increased number of Fruits in bunch also Total Soluble Solids (Tss%) was increased wh
... Show More The theory of the epic theater has received wide attention by filmmakers around the world because of its great impact on the artistic work of the theater and its relationship with societies, and among these directors the Iraqi directors have been influenced by the epic theater and its applications in the show.
In order to find out the effectiveness of these influences on the Iraqi director, I found the need to do this study, which was divided into an introduction and a theoretical framework that included two topics. The first topic (Philosophical References and the Intellectual Foundations of the Epic Theater Theory) deals with the philosophical foundations that crystallized the epic theory of Burch and the mechanism of working
Abstract
The study discussed three areas in strategic thinking, namely, (patterns elements, outcomes) , this study aimed to measure extent to which strategic leaders have the type or types of patterns of strategic thinking, and measure the extent of their use of the elements of strategic thinking, and measurement of strategic thinking outcomes for managers at various levels , And to know the relationship between the modes of strategic thinking, elements and outcomes in organizations. the study included five banks and four hospitals and four colleges and universities, has been a research sample consisted of 168 individuals, distributed in positions (Director General , Director of Directorate , Director of
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